


Friends. Lovers. Friends. Lovers.

by greensilverserpent



Category: Tennis no Oujisama | Prince of Tennis
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-08
Updated: 2018-06-08
Packaged: 2019-05-19 20:24:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14880620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greensilverserpent/pseuds/greensilverserpent
Summary: Of friendships, relationships and in-betweens.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Creation: 2018-06-05 04:37am to 05:01am  
> Creation: 2018-06-05 11:20am to 11:37am  
> Creation: 2018-06-04 12:00pm to 12:16pm  
> Creation: 2018-06-06 03:44pm to 03:53pm & 2018-06-06 07:35pm to 07:52pm & 2018-06-07 11:30am to 11:57am

Tezuka hadn't been feeling well for days. 

After a particular nasty incident however, he had finally decided that he could go no further and taken a cab to the hospital. Just when he had reached the entrance doors everything had gone black.

When he had come to, they had told him that he had been extremely lucky to come to them when he did. And that he had already been through surgery. This part had shocked him more than a little and the well-meant explanation hadn't dampened the feeling much. Not that there was anything he could have done about it.

They hadn't been able to reach his family. No surprise there. They were in Europe during the holidays. He had chosen to stay behind for training and a head-start for school.

One of the nurses had been kind enough to let him use her phone for a short text to Fuji, the only number he could remember at the time. He had asked him to relay a message to Oishi and apologize for not attending the meeting he had originally set for them.

He should have known this would backfire.

So he was grateful that only Fuji suddenly appeared by his bedside, the smile still firmly fixed though both of them knew it was fake right now.

"How did you find me?"

Tezuka was curious. At least a little. Besides, small talk had never been his forte.

"I tracked the number the message came from."

"Ah."

Fuji's smile, this time, was genuine. He had forgotten that Fuji knew his way around computers much better than he did.

"How are you feeling?"

The concern was evident and Tezuka began to feel grateful that at least one person knew and was here to support him.

"Better."

Fuji looked away, then back. Obviously weighing his next words carefully.

"They said you went through emergency surgery."

Tezuka nodded. He had suspected as much after they told him they hadn't been able to get a hold of his family. 

"They also said you should be back to your usual self by the end of the holidays."

Fuji added carefully.

"That's good news then."

Both boys avoided the whole truth this time.

There was no way Tezuka could pick up training just where he had stopped before all this. It could ruin everything he had worked so hard for.

As if trying to dispatch the sudden shift in mood, Fuji reached for his hand.

"Stop worrying so much, Kunimitsu. First, you get better again. And as soon as you're cleared, I'll help you make up for the time you lost, alright? With no one being the wiser."

Tezuka closed his eyes with a sigh.

"Does that include Oishi?"

He didn't need to see the smile to know it had gotten brighter.

"Including Oishi. Mother-hen of Seigaku. And sometimes bane of both our existences."

When Tezuka lightly squeezed the fingers still wrapped around his own, Fuji knew that everything would turn out well.


	2. Chapter 2

"Another surgery?"

Fuji's voice was shrill, making Tezuka sigh. But it didn't change the situation.

"Yes."

"And then? Another and another? They cleared you back then! There shouldn't be any more of them!"

"We can't change facts, Syusuke. All we can do is accept it and deal with it."

"We?"

The tone was almost seething by now, making Tezuka cringe. 

"Who said anything about we?"

Fuji knew it was unfair and ridiculous and selfish but right at this moment he couldn't think straight.

"Me then."

Tezuka's answer sounded weary and defeated. 

He also knew that it was unfair but again he couldn't change anything. Except, if worse came to worst, to let Fuji step out of their life together and deal with it on his own like he used to before their relationship. 

Fuji turned. A strange mix of determination, self-loathing and pity on his face.

"I just can't do this anymore, Kunimitsu. I don't want to do this anymore."

"You knew from the start that his could happen again."

"That doesn't mean it actually would! I'm not going through this again like I did with Seiichi!"

Tezuka felt his frustration mount and tried stopping his own anger from showing.

"I am not Yukimura."

"No, because if you were, you wouldn't be sick again!"

Pure petulance but he didn't care anymore.

"If you want him back so badly then please go back. But do it now. We both know he's been in your thoughts over the course of this whole relationship. It was my mistake to hope that you would let him go someday. I am not Yukimura. And I never will be. And if you meant anything you said during all those nights then stop doing this to the both of us. I can deal with another surgery if I have to but I am not going to deal with half-truths any longer. You can't have both of us as lovers. However, it's your decision whom you will choose. If it's him, I'll step back and continue being your friend if you so desire but no more. Please, Syusuke. For once think about the consequences of your actions. Choose who you really want. No one deserves to be a convenience. Neither Yukimura. Nor me."


	3. Chapter 3

"Syusuke?"

Fuji turned and smiled when his blue-haired lover came into view.

"You always know where to find me."

Yukimura nodded towards his flowers.

"You always come here to think. At least if it bothers you too much to share it with us."

"Mmh."

"Something we can help with?"

"No. Not really. Just reminiscing. That's all."

"You know, you've been up here since before sunrise. It's past sunset now."

Fuji sighed.

"Just leave it be, please."

"It's him again, isn't it?"

"Seiichi…"

Yukimura held up his hand but his smile stayed gentle. 

"You can't forget him."

"It's not that easy."

"You couldn't forget me either. But that's a different story. A very different one. Tell me something, Syusuke. Did he send you back to me?"

"He said I had to choose between you two. As lovers. Not friends."

"A wise and very courageous decision. Even more so to go through with it and let you slip out of his grasp. He must love you very much."

Fuji's surprise was evident enough for Yukimura to explain. 

"He let you go out of love, Syusuke. Not because he didn't care. You cried my name during intercourse with him didn't you?"

Fuji blushed but let him continue. When Yukimura did, it was in even softer tones.

"When you sleep with us, you always have his name on your lips when you finally reach fulfillment. Did you ever notice?"

Fuji shook his head.

"Thought so. Syuuske, I can't deny we like having you around and enjoy sleeping with you. But our love for you is very different form the passionate and unselfish love he has for you. And I know he still does so don't falter on that account. I can't thank you enough for being there for me whenever I needed you but I think it's finally time to admit to yourself that you made the wrong decision back then. But it's not too late to change course. Not yet."

Fuji sighed.

"He won't take me back, even if I wanted him to."

"Don't forfeit before you begin. He loves you and from what I heard through the rumor mill, he could at least need a good friend - a very good friend."

Fuji's eyes immediately showed concern.

"What happened?"

Yukimura continued to smile, though a bit more sad by now.

"Just go and see him. The address is next to the phone downstairs. Just go, Syusuke. We'll see you again sometime - as friends. And now go."

Fuji kissed him one last time, softly but quickly, and was out the door before the tingly feeling had subsided. 

Yukimura sighed.

"Good luck, dear friend. To both of you."


	4. Chapter 4

When Fuji reached the address he'd gotten from his ex, he felt like he had just entered a scene out of an R-rated movie.

This part of town wasn't nice to begin with, especially not now that it was dark, but he couldn't have imagined it being so bad.

There were fights down the street and several people had already tried to talk him into sex, some of them even stood right in front of the building he wanted to enter.

Taking a deep breath, Fuji focused on just going through with this and brushed past everyone with swift steps, not letting the air out until he reached the floor he wanted.

With a sigh, he looked down the even darker hallway. The numbers on the doors were scarcely visible.

Finally finding the right one, he knocked loudly but didn't receive an answer. Right, in this neighborhood it might be the safer choice to never look who's outside.

"Kunimitsu? Are you there?"

It took a while but then the bolt was removed and the door opened. And again Fuji thought about that R-rated movie. 

"May I come in?"

The door opened wider to let him through but no words were exchanged. The door being closed and bolted again as soon as he had been admitted. 

The apartment itself looked as forlorn as the hallway had. A bed, a chair, a small table and all of this in a very small one-room-apartment. Even for Japanese standards. 

Tezuka himself looked worse for wear. His skin obviously hadn't seen much sun and one eye even had marks around it like from a fight. Whatever Fuji had laid himself out to say when he got here vanished. This harsh reality was not something anyone should have to deal with.

Tezuka sat down on the bed, gesturing for him to take the chair. Fuji would have preferred the floor but it didn't look very healthy either.

"What happened, Kunimitsu?"

The other man sighed, obviously already tired of this conversation.

"One of the consequences of an unstable income."

"No one hires you anymore." Half statement, half question but obviously whole truth. 

Tezuka nodded.

"Too much of a liability. Too much medical history."

"What about your family? Don't they want to help?"

"They don't know."

"What?"

"I don't want them to."

"But, Kunimitsu…"

"Please, accept my decision. It is mine to make."

Fuji swallowed his frustration down - for now - before following up with why he was here in the first place.

"But I want to help. Will you let me?"

"You've seen where and how I live. There's nothing you can do."

"The hell I can't! I refuse to let you live like this! I refuse to see your life go down the drain because of circumstances you weren't accountable for! I refuse to leave without a fight!"

Alright, the last part might have been too much but at least it had woken a little of the old spark in Tezuka's eyes.

"And what, pray tell, do you want to do? I live here because there is no other place I can stay at. I work legally when I can find work. That's all there is to it. That's my life. And no wishful thinking will help me out of it."

The words were harsh and bitter but true. If no one helped him out of here, he would stay in this dump forever. 

No way.

"I am not leaving you, Kunimitsu."

"You already did." 

The words this time were resigned and tired. Fuji couldn't blame him.

"Yes, but I am here now. And I owe you an apology if not several."

That got the intended reaction. Fuji finally smiled again.

"I made the wrong decision back then. Several of them. And, when you let me leave, I didn't see the real reason behind it. It took me literally ages to understand. But I am back now. And I am not going anywhere again without you."

"Don't give me false hope, Syusuke. That's too low even for you."

"I am not. I am not leaving here unless it's with you. Are you willing to try again, Kunimitsu? With me?"

Tezuka obviously did consider his words, a little at least.

"What about the might be lurking surgeries? You can't deal with them, you said so yourself."  
Fuji cringed but held his ground.

"I've grown up since then. And I want to start over again and I want to make it right this time."

Tezuka sighed deeply. What had he to loose? If it didn't work out, then it didn't. So he nodded, making Fuji's whole face light up.

"Good. Starting tomorrow however, come daylight, we're going to move into a hotel until we find something of our own again. And no complaints about the costs. You paid for everything back then. I am paying now. Please let me. I want to."

Sitting down on the screechy mattress, Fuji could finally take Tezuka into his arms and knew he would never let him go again.


End file.
